Normal's overrated anyway
by FromGallifrey
Summary: Hermione and Draco become friends over the summer... I wrote this at like 3am so pls don't judge


Hermione laid back on her couch and sighed. Ginny wasn't answering her phone. Neither was Harry, Ron or her cousin Valarie. 2 weeks into summer vacation and she was already bored out her mind. She had already read every textbook, book and newspaper in the house, flicked through the TV multiple times and taken several walks. Finally making up her mind on what she wanted to do she grabbed her phone and called to her mom who was in the next room.

"Mom! I'm going to Cinders!" She yelled, grabbing her rucksack and slipping on her shoes. Not waiting for a response she ripped open the front door and ran out onto the sidewalk before her mom could stop her. She glanced back at the small house before starting down the street. Cinders was a little coffee shop just a few blocks away. It was a small mom and pop cafe that Hermione adored. She went here often when she was home from school. Since she got home 2 weeks ago she had already been here 10 times.

Hermione reached the crosswalk that led to the cafe and pressed the button on the traffic light. The walking man appeared on the other side of the street as people in cars came to a stop. Hermione quickly crossed, making sure to look both ways before going as her mother had drilled that into her brain as a child. The rest of the walk to the cafe was short, taking Hermione less than 5 minutes. Hermione opened the door to Cinders and the familiar scent of coffee beans and muffins engulfed her. She grinned slightly and continued walking up to the counter. The light green walls and brown wood floor went well together, making the place feel homey and welcome. The coffee shop wasn't the busiest place but it was unusually void of people today except for a man near the back and a grad student typing on her computer over by the windows. Hermione liked it this way.

"Hello Hermione! How are you today?" The plump woman behind the counter asked. The woman was named Laura. She owned the cafe with her husband Mike.

"Hi Laura, I'm good." Hermione said smiling. She always had a soft spot for the woman. She reminded her of Mrs. Weasley. "Can I get a coffee, please,"

"Sure honey," The woman said, tottering off to get the coffee. The woman came back a moment later and handed Hermione the coffee. "Just the way you like it," She chirped. Hermione said her thanks and made her way over to her usual two person table by the window. She slung the bag over the chair and pulled out her used copy of _Romeo and Juliet._ She leaned over the book and began to sip her coffee, her hair acting as a wall between her and the world. She was just getting to the balcony scene when she heard the chair across from her scrape against the hardwood floor.

"Never thought I would see you without Hogwarts robes," Hermione looked up to see the face of the man who had been in the back earlier.

"Never thought I would see you in a muggle cafe," Hermione shot back without missing a beat. Draco Malfoy smirked from across the table.

"contrary to popular opinion not all wizarding family's live in all wizard villages," He said casually. Hermione raised her eyebrows curiously.

"Your parents would kill you if they saw you talking to me civilly, you know that, right?" Hermione asked. She was surprised he was speaking to her at all let alone speaking to her with respect.

"Maybe," He said, glancing down at his own coffee.

"What are you doing in Sunbury?" Hermione asked, taking a sip of her coffee. She wondered if she should be worried or not. He seemed to be no danger at the moment.

"I live here" He stated. Hermione made a stuttering noise as she started choking on her coffee. Draco stifled a laugh as Hermione coughed. "Are you okay?" He asked as she finally recovered her grace.

"I'm fine. What do you mean you live here?" She asked, brushing off his concern.

"I mean I moved last year toward the end of summer, I live a few houses down from you," He said. "I noticed you as soon as I moved in,"

"So, why wait until now to say anything?" Hermione was very curious about him. He shrugged. "I give up!" She said suddenly. His eyes snapped up from his coffee to her brown eyes. "Why are you being nice to me?" She asked. He hesitated for a minute, just looking into her eyes. As if trying to find the answer himself.

"I don't know," He said. Apparently he was looking for the answer.

"Malf-"

"Hermione!" Someone called. Hermione whipped her head around. Her father was standing by the door. "It's time for dinner," He said gesturing in the direction of their home.

"Coming!" She called. She stuffed her book in her bag and threw it over her shoulder. Hermione gave one last glance to Draco before walking over to her father. Draco watched them go out the door and get into Dr. Grangers car. They left the parking lot and started towards the direction of their home.

Draco gathered his stuff and walked out to his own car. His mind never wandering from Hermione Granger.

3 days later –

 **Ding Dong**

"I got it" Hermione yelled. Running up to the door in her church clothes. She opened the door expecting her mothers friend or her fathers accountant or anyone other who was really there. "Malfoy?" She said confused.

"Hi, I was wondering whether we could talk?" He asked. Hermione glanced back at the house. Seeing her parents weren't currently in the room, Hermione ushered him in.

"Um, yes, up the stairs, go quick," She said. She wasn't actually aloud to have boys in her room. Since Hermione wasn't planning on breaking her neck today, she quickly slipped off her heels before following him up the stairs. She heard her parents coming into the room so she ran up the stairs. She pushed Draco into her room and closed the door behind them quietly.

"Okay, what is this about?" She asked turning around. She cocked her head at the sight of Draco examining the picture she had next to her bed. It was a normal, unmoving picture of her, Harry and Ron from their first year at Hogwarts. "Malfoy?" She asked again.

"What? Oh yeah, right," He set the picture down and started pacing around the room. Hermione felt that he was going to be talking for awhile so she took a seat on the edge of her bed. "You have no friends here, right?" He asked. She narrowed her eyebrows at him. _Well he's not wrong,_ she thought. He started backtracking at the sight of her face. "That's not what I meant. I mean, you have no friends here and I can't stand home or muggles. So, I propose that we be friends. For the summer that is. When we get back to Hogwarts everything goes back to the way it was," He finished his case and turned to look at her confused face.

"Why would I be friends with you after everything you have always done to me?" She asked.

"Because you have no friends, you can talk about Hogwarts with me, and I'm nice now," He said cautiously. Hermione thought for a minute. Weighing the pros and cons.

"Yeah, alright," She agreed. Thinking this could finally end her endless boredom

"Really?" He asked genuinely surprised. Hermione nodded. "OK, when do we start the whole friend thing?"

"Now!" Hermione said excitedly, pushing Draco in the closet.

"Hermione! I don't think this is how friends work!" he called from inside the closet. Hermione opened the door a minute later, changed out of her fancy dress and now wearing a t-shirt and jean cutoff shorts.

"Come on," she said. Pulling Draco out of the closet. She skipped out of the bedroom and out into the hall. Draco followed. They went past her parents in the lounge on the way to the front door.

"Hey mom, hey dad, this is my friend Draco from school were gonna go see a movie, okay bye," Hermione said quickly pulling Draco out of the door before they could respond.

"Are we actually going to a movie?" Draco asked as they started down the sidewalk Hermione had just walked days ago.

"No, no we are not," She responded looking into his eyes gleefully.

 _Should have been in Slytherin_ , Draco though as they walked down the sidewalk.

81 days later

 **Ding Dong**

"I'll get it" Hermione yelled, sliding up to the door in her sweat pants. Hermione yanked open the door to find Draco Malfoy. Also wearing sweat pant holding candy and a movie. "We match! And you're late," she said letting him in.

"I know but I brought a gallon a Swedish Fish, so I'm forgiven," He grinned, coming inside and shutting the door behind him.

"What did you get?" Hermione asked, messing with her hair. It was starting to spring free from its bun.

"The Avengers," He said. Hermione smiled. Mrs. Granger was in the kitchen and heard the entrance of the blonde haired boy.

"Hello Draco! How are you?" She asked kindly.

"I'm alright. Thanks," He responded, trying not to laugh as Hermione struggled to open the candy bag.

"Are you hungry? Do you need anything?" She continued. Over the months that this boy had befriended her daughter she had learned that he could really eat.

"I'm good right now, maybe later," He said.

"Were going to go watch this so, see you in 2 hours," Hermione said, grabbing Draco's hand and dragging him downstairs. The basement of the Granger house had a sofa and a large TV for movies.

After about an hour of watching the movie Draco turned to Hermione. She was to involved in the movie to notice. She was chewing on her bottom lip as usual and her eyes were anxious as the movie changed emotions. _How am I going to go about my life without her?,_ Draco thought. Draco reached over for the remote and paused the movie. Hermione looked at him curiously.

"School is starting in 4 days," He stated simply. His voice was only a whisper.

"Yeah," She responded. "So, we won't get to be friends anymore," She whispered.

"I guess we won't," He said, Draco hadn't wanted to fall in love with her. He had barely wanted to be her friend. Now look at him. Pining after a girl who was absolutely off limits. His parents didn't even know he had spend almost everyday of summer with her. This was the girl he had called a mudblood in their second year. This is the girl that had shown him how to send texts. This was the girl who had punched him in the face two years ago. This was the girl who always sat across from him at Cinders and read the same tattered copy of Romeo and Juliet over and over again. This was the girl he was in love with.

Draco reached over with his hand and cupped her face as brought his face down to hers and kissed her. She tangled her hands in his hair as she kissed him back. This went on for several minutes before they finally had to pull apart for air. They didn't say anything. He just pulled her into his side and started the movie again.

5 days later

"Hermione?" Hermione turned to look at the voice, being pulled out of her trance. She saw Harry looking at her in concern. "Are you alright?" Hermione hadn't been acting herself since she met up with them at the train station.

"Yes, I'm alright," She insisted. Hermione looked around. "Where is everyone?" She asked.

"Class is over," Harry said. He was looking at her strangely.

"Oh," She said. She grabbed her bag and started towards the door. Ron and Harry exchanged glances behind her back.

"What class is next?" She asked casually as they fell into step next to her.

"It's lunch," Ron responded. "Hermione are you sure you are feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," She said, staring at the stone floor. They walked in silence the rest of the way. The trio entered the great hall and took their seats at the Gryffindor table. Hermione didn't put anything on her plate. She glanced over to the Slytherin discrete She met his eyes in an instant. His eyes had longing in them. Finally, Hermione tore her eyes away from the boys. _This is the way it has to be,_ she reminded herself. Ron and Harry finished their meals with little conversation. The three stood and walked out of the hall before anyone else. They still had fifteen minutes before herbology so they sat in the grass across from the green house.

"Hermione, you got to tell us whats going on?" Ron insisted as they sat.

"I'm just a little homesick is all," Hermione insisted.

"Hermione come on, were no-" Harry started, but was interrupted from a man behind them.

"Hermione?" Draco asked from behind the three. Hermione quickly met his eyes. He pleaded to her through his eyes. Ron and Harry looked at the pair quickly. Hermione stood, brushed herself off and walked in Draco's direction. The pair walked toward the castle. \

"Did he call her Hermione?" Harry asked Ron watching the pair. Ron just shrugged.

Draco stopped them when he thought they were out of Harry and Ron's earshot. He looked at Hermione who was refusing to meet his eyes.

"Whats up?" She asked.

"I miss you," He said grabbing her hand. Not caring at all who saw at this point.

"You can't say that! Not anymore!" She cried, ripping her hand out of his.

"Hermione, I tried, I really did, but I can't even last two days not being able to talk to you." Hermione met his eyes. "I miss you and I don't care if Lord Voldemort or my father or even your two best friends over there have a problem with it," He was talking quite loud now and was starting to draw a crowd. "Hermione.." He came as close to her as he could get without knocking her over. "I love you, And I should have told you that this summer, but I didn't and I'm sorry," He brought his forehead down to hers. "I love you and I feel like I can't breathe without you,"

Hermione who hadn't said a word or moved a muscle, spoke now.

"You love me?" She asked quietly.

"Yes!" He almost shouted.

"OK, good just checking," She said jokingly before connecting theirs lips. He kissed her deeply there in front of everyone of the Gryffindors and Slytherins of 5th year. People cheered and clapped. Harry and Ron just looked dumbfounded. Draco and Hermione broke apart as Professor Sprout started ushering people into the greenhouse. He grabbed her hand and led her towards it.

"So, what happened to everything going back to normal when summer started?" Hermione asked. Draco paused.

"Normal's overrated anyway," He said laughing.


End file.
